Anaconda Rescue Mode

The rescue mode allows to use Anaconda installation environment for troubleshooting an installed system. It is able to find and mount existing installed system so it can be examined and repaired (perhaps in chroot) using the tools available in the installer environment.

Invoking

  • Troubleshooting submenu in installation DVD boot menu

  • adding inst.rescue boot option

  • using rescue kickstart command

Configuration of the rescue environment

Most of the installer boot options (eg. ip=, inst.updates) should be applied to the rescue mode. As for kickstart commands, these commands should have effect on rescue mode:

  • network

  • iscsi

  • driverdisk

  • logging

  • reboot, shutdown

  • updates

(Semi) automatic system repairs

Kickstart %pre and %post scripts are applied (the latter only if a system root was successfuly found and mounted) alowing for automatic scripted modification of the system. If the mode is invoked by rescue kickstart command, it won’t go interactive but use the command options (--nomount, --romount) to decide how to proceed. Only if encrypted devices or multiple OS installations are found it will ask to choose the OS to be mounted, or for a passphrase to unlock the device. After running the scripts the system will reboot or not based on reboot kickstart command.

Examples of use

  • adding driver using inst.dd boot option (or driverdisk kickstart command)

  • adding a driver to a denylist with modprobe.blacklist boot option

  • examining and repairing storage using partitioning or lvm tools present in the installer image

  • repairing or reinstalling the bootloader

  • adding or removing software (drivers) via rpm package